Morlix more countrified on new CD
By Kevin J. Hosey
Leading what might be called the Prodigal Son weekend at Mohawk Place, former Western New Yorker roots rock/Americana jack of all trades Gurf Morlix will return to Buffalo for a show Thursday, Sept. 25, after recently releasing his newest CD, “Cut ‘n Shoot,” on Blue Corn Music. Also that weekend at Mohawk Place, former Western New Yorker Peter Case, who grew up near Morlix, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. Jim Whitford, a friend since childhood of both Morlix and Case (and whose solo CD, “Poison in the Well,” as well as the final recording by his previous band, the Pine Dogs, were produced by Morlix) will open Gurf’s show; both sets will be solo with possibilities of one joining the other for a song or two. Just added, Whitford will be performing at the Sportsmens Tavern on Amherst St.,with a guest appearance by Case after his Saturday set.
In an interview on our porch while he was en route to his summer cabin somewhere in Ontario, Morlix, very well known for his work playing guitar and producing Lucinda Williams as well as Robert Earl Keen, Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ian McLagan, Hot Club of Cowtown, Mary Gauthier, Linda McRae (formerly of Spirit of the West), Butch Hancock (and playing with Buddy and Julie Miller, Jim Lauderdale and Mojo Nixon), discussed things, including the much stronger country flavor of “Cut ‘n Shoot” over his previous CDs, “Fishin’ in the Muddy” and “Toad of Titicaca."“I got into country music in 1975; I found Hank Williams and I flipped out, and then I found Lefty Frizzell and others and I started to play steel guitar. I was writing those kinds of songs and they didn’t fit in; I could have done half-swamp and half-country, or saved them,” he said. “As for playing all of the instruments (on the new CD), I just couldn’t afford to hire someone; it is easier to do it myself, but I do like the chemistry of playing with three to four people. There’s an art to playing things different. I like being at home; traveling is really hard. I’m too old to crawl into a van for a couple of months with a band of guys. But I love playing out; I play every week (in Austin) with the Imperial Royal Crown Harmonizers (an all-star roots rock gospel ensemble which, if you have the chance, you should check out).”
Morlix appears much happier to be on Blue Corn Music after his first two CDs were released on Catamount Records; he declined to comment on his old label but had good things to say about Blue Corn: “I love the new label; they work with Ruthie Foster, Caroline Herring, Billy and Bryn Bright and Jeff Plankenhorn (and the Austin Lounge Lizards). The label is out of Houston, they are music lovers and they will do what they say they’ll do. Oh, and the cover is great; the photo was taken on a farm in Ontario (by his partner Brende Fuller). Linda McRae and I were playing a festival when we saw a tractor and Brende said, ‘get on it.’ But I like things way better now (doing his own music compared to playing in someone else’s band). I know what the corporate thing is like; now, they just send us the money and we send them the record.”